James Backway & More Will Step Into West End's War Horse This Spring

A new crop of actors and puppeteers will join the West End cast of War Horse beginning March 16. James Backway, a recent Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts alum who appeared in the National Theatre's New Views: Is There Wifi, will take on the central role of Albert at the New London Theatre. He replaces current star Jack Loxton.

Based on the Morpurgo novel of the same name and adapted by Nick Stafford, War Horse is set at the dawn of World War I. The play follows a young farm boy named Albert Nerracot who sets out to find his beloved horse Joey after his father sells the animal to the army. The National Theatre production is co-directed by Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris.

In addition to Backway as Albert, the new cast will feature Simon Wolfe as Arthur Narracott, Colm Gormley as Ted, Dominic Hodson as Captain Nicholls, Tony McGeever as David Taylor, Alasdair Craig as Friedrich Muller and Clair Louise Connolly as Emilie. Rounding out the cast will be Phillip Bertioli, Ken Bradshaw, Adrian Christopher, Matthew Churcher, Harry De Moraville, Drew Dillon, James Duncan, Nick Figgis, Patrick Fleming, Keiran Flynn, Alan Francis, Ian Houghton, Mark Jackson, Simon Jenkins, Jamie Lee-Morgan, Nyron Levy, Kate Marlais, Shaun McCourt, Jayne Mckenna, Chris Milford, Gary Mitchinson, Ben Murray, Markus Schabbing, Adam Henderson Scott, Alisdair Simpson, James Alexander Taylor, Emma Thurnett, Scarlet Wilderink, Sam Willmott, Thomas Mittleheuser and Lowri Walton.